Welcome to EskieMama Reads Saturday Spotlight!
Today we are spotlighting Andy Peloquin's
Lament Of The Fallen!
Enter to win the first book in The Last Bucelarii series
Blade of the Destroyer from Andy Peloquin
Book 2 in The Last Bucelarii series &
New Release
Lament Of The Fallen!
A faceless, nameless assassin. A forgotten past. The Hunter of Voramis--a killer devoid of morals, or something else altogether? (The Last Bucelarii--dark fantasy with a look at the underside of human nature)
The Hunter of Voramis is no more.
Alone with the bloodthirsty voices in his head, fleeing the pain of loss, he has one objective: travel north to find Her, the mystery woman who plagues his dreams and haunts his memories.
When he stumbles upon a bandit attack, something within urges him to help. His actions set him at odds with the warrior priests commanded to hunt down the Bucelarii.
Left for dead, the Hunter must travel to Malandria to recover his stolen birthright. There, he is inexorably drawn into direct conflict with the Order of Midas, the faceless, nameless group of magicians that holds the city in a grip of terror. All while struggling to silence the ever-louder voice in his mind that drives him to kill.
From feared assassin to wretched outcast, the Hunter's journey leads him to truths about his forgotten past and the Abiarazi he has pledged to hunt. His discoveries will shed light on who he really is…what he really is.
Fans of Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, and Brent Weeks will love the Hunter…
Grab your copy TODAY!
Reviews:
"Creative, gritty, and beautifully dark...fantasy addicts will love it!" -- Peter Story, author of Things GrakHates -- http://peterjstory.com/
"The fantasy world has a compelling new antihero…the Hunter will terrify and captivate you." - Eve A Floriste, author of Fresh Cut
"From the first words on the page this fantasy holds the reader spellbound even after the book is finished…his character is very well-defined even if his past is a mystery. Root for an assassin? Oh, yes, one must!" -- Carol Conley, for InDTale Magazine
"Oh the carnage! Fantastic bloodthirsty carnage! The fight scenes in this book were fast-paced, detailed and thrilling. I love a good sword fight and there is plenty of that here." -- Ami L. Hart
"One could get lost in this novel for its twisting plots, seemingly endless imagination, dark yet irresistible characters, or the mind-numbing paradox of its simultaneously dark and romantic world. One could follow the long and winding road of the dusky, fierce protagonist and fight tooth and nail not to sympathize with him. One could dance in the dizzying, intricate circles of Peloquin's neo-mythology, or even basque in the black sunlight of a well-crafted gothic novel that both entertains and enlightens." -- Jesse G. Christiansen
Q & A with Andy Peloquin about Lament of the Fallen
Tell us about your The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen.
Lament of the Fallen is the second book in The Last Bucelarii series. The series follows "the Hunter", an immortal assassin who has no memory of his past. His accursed dagger drives him to kill, which is why he has become an assassin. During his 50 years in the city of Voramis, he has established a reputation as a peerless killer. He has no fear of either the Heresiarchs (law and order) or the Bloody Hand (organized crime).
In Blade of the Destroyer, the Hunter goes on a rampage against the Bloody Hand after they harm those closest to him (no spoilers, I promise). After a near-death experience, he learns the truth of his heritage as a half-demon, and it sends him down the path to find answers about his past. Lament of the Fallen is the first step in the journey that will bring the Hunter toward the truth not just about who--or what--he is, but also how he fits into a world where he is the last of his kind.
What initially inspired you to write The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen?
Lament of the Fallen is very much the antithesis to Blade of the Destroyer. The Book 1 was action, fight scenes, violence, and mayhem, Book 2 is very much an introspective journey. It's the Hunter's fight with himself, his inner nature, and the voices in his head. All of the antagonists/obstacles he faces are really secondary to the true war: the one going on in his mind.
I've always loved the "internal struggle" concept--the need to fight our own inner demons and eternally strive to be better. This book brings to light just how truly hard it can be, especially in the case of someone with actual demons in his mind!
Tell us little about the characters in this book.
The Hunter of Book 1 was a violent, ruthless warrior of justice and vengeance. The Hunter of Book 2 is a bit broken, at a loss of what to do now, and trying to put back the pieces and find his place in the world. It's the logical next step in the character's journey, and it definitely humanizes this inhuman half-demon character.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
The hardest part was finding the balance between the truly bad-ass Hunter of Book 1 and the broken person he needed to become. I didn't want to water him down too much or focus too much on his emotions, but there needed to be that internal struggle. It was tough finding the right balance, but I think I nailed it.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
I LOVED writing the character of Bardin. The fact that he goes off on strange monologues was so much fun to write, especially the part where he mentions "purple and green chickens"--a line I've always wanted to use for absolutely no reason. Tapping into his unique madness (a sort of paranoid schizoprenia with hallucinations and PTSD) was a truly fascinating experience, and though it was a challenge to write, I enjoyed it immensely.
What are your future project(s)?
I have submitted Book 3 (Titled "Gateway to the Past") to my publisher, so hopefully it will be released early in 2017. I'm also working on Book 4 and will commence the rough draft of Book 5 by the end of the year/beginning of 2017.
At the same time, I'm shopping around a secret side project set in the same world, but following a female thief character. Hard, ruthless, and cunning, but no immortality or cursed daggers. Very much a Strong Woman, but in a very unique way.
Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers about this book/series?
I want to say, "Don't judge the book by its cover, genre, or protagonist." Heh.
This looks like a dark, violence-fueled novel, and make no mistake, it truly is. However, it's also a look at what makes people do the things they do, and it examines the journey of deeply flawed characters trying to make their way through life. For outcasts, outsiders, oddballs, and people who feel like they don't belong, the Hunter's journey will be very familiar!
First book in the The Last Bucelarii series
The Hunter of Voramis is the perfect assassin: ruthless, unrelenting, immortal. Haunted by lost memories, he is bonded to a cursed dagger that feeds him power but denies him peace of mind. Within him rages an unquenchable need for blood and death.
When he accepts a contract to avenge the stolen innocence of a girl, the Hunter becomes the prey. The death of a seemingly random target sends him hurtling toward destruction, yet could his path also lead to the truth of his buried past?
When he accepts a contract to avenge the stolen innocence of a girl, the Hunter becomes the prey. The death of a seemingly random target sends him hurtling toward destruction, yet could his path also lead to the truth of his buried past?
Now an exciting excerpt from Lament Of The Fallen!
A rough hand shook the Hunter from sleep. Instinct kicked in. Seizing his assailant, he pressed his sword to the man's throat.
Visibos's eyes flew wide and he held up his hands. "Easy, Hardwell. Just waking you for your turn at watch."
The Hunter nodded and lowered the sword.
Visibos shook his head. Rubbing red-rimmed eyes, he stumbled toward his blankets with a yawn. Within seconds, the low rumble of his snores floated around the campsite.
Darkness hung on the campsite like a thick blanket. Only glowing embers remained of the fire, but the Hunter made no effort to rebuild it. He preferred shadow. Unseen, he could watch both the forest and his new traveling companions.
He filled his lungs with the fresh, clean night air and rolled his neck and shoulders to work out the kinks of sleeping on the forest floor. His blankets, while thick and warm, provided little cushion against the hardness of the earth beneath him.
Slinging his baldric over his shoulder, he buckled on his sword. A quick inspection of his saddlebags revealed nothing out of place. He ran a hand across the smooth surface of the iron-lined box. Soulhunger's voice pounded in his mind, pleading to feed. A twinge of pain settled behind his eyes.
The Hunter savored the scents of the forest around him. The smoke from their dying campfire hung heavy in the air, and beneath it, he smelled muted hints of plant and animal life. A cool breeze rolled past, carrying with it the scent of decaying leaves, pine sap, and a sweet-scented flower he couldn't identify.
The Hunter wrapped his cloak tighter about himself as the chill of the early morning wind sent a shiver down his spine. The crook of a large tree offered him a comfortable place to sit his watch, as well as protection from the occasional gust. He leaned against the thick trunk, curling his legs to his chest. The shrouds of his dark cloak hid him from his companions, and he was all but invisible beneath the forest canopy.
His eyes roamed over the sleeping forms of his traveling companions. Only the red tresses of Sir Danna's hair were visible, her thick bedroll swaddling the rest of her in a snug bundle. Loud snores rose from the lump he knew to be Visibos.
'Kill them!'
The demon's intensity startled the Hunter. The creature filled his mind with images of Soulhunger drinking deep of the knight's heart-blood. His sword sliced into Visibos' neck, spraying crimson.
No! The Hunter shook his head, endeavoring to shake loose the gory thoughts. His fingers traced the scar on his chest. I will not harm them.
'Leave them alive, and they will discover your lie. You are no more Hardwell of Praamis than you are Danther the tailor or Lord Anglion the Foolish.'
Rubbing his eyes, the Hunter tried to calm the pounding in his head.
How could they know? They have no way to uncover the truth. No, they are no threat to me.
'Foolish Bucelarii! How little you know. The humans you protect will be your undoing.'
The Hunter closed his eyes, massaging his temples.
Why will you not leave me alone?
He was so tired of hearing that voice in his head. He wanted freedom from that voice. He needed peace.
'You know what you must do.'
Andy Peloquin--a third culture kid to the core--has loved to read since before he could remember. Sherlock Holmes, the Phantom of the Opera, and Father Brown are just a few of the books that ensnared his imagination as a child.
When he discovered science fiction and fantasy through the pages of writers like Edgar Rice Burroughs, J.R.R Tolkien, and Orson Scott Card, he was immediately hooked and hasn't looked back since.
Andy's first attempt at writing produced In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent. He has learned from the mistakes he made and used the experience to produce Blade of the Destroyer, a book of which he is very proud.
Reading—and now writing—is his favorite escape, and it provides him an outlet for his innate creativity. He is an artist; words are his palette.
His website (http://www.andypeloquin.com) is a second home for him, a place where he can post his thoughts and feelings--along with reviews of books he finds laying around the internet.
He can also be found on his social media pages, such as:
Why is finding the woman of your dreams always such an ordeal?
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